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• Little noticed last week among all the "fiscal cliff" talk was the death of former Rep. Congressman Jack Brooks of Texas, who spent 42 years in Washington and is perhaps best remembered as the man standing behind Jacqueline Kennedy as Lyndon Johnson took the presidential oath of office aboard Air Force One following the assassination of President Kennedy. Brooks was one of a kind -- described in one news story as an "irascible, cigar-chomping … swashbuckling Texas character" and by one Johnson aide as one of the only men LBJ was ever afraid of." Brooks came from a different era, but he ...

In its never-ending effort to avoid misleading language in news coverage, the Associated Press Stylebook has decided to declare "Islamophobia," "homophobia" and presumably other non-clinical uses of the word "phobia" to be a new taboo.

The city of Camden will hold a drop-in public meeting Monday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. to seek public input regarding corridor and gateway improvements. The public meeting will be held at Camden High School's Media Center, 1022 Ehrenclou Drive. The meeting will provide opportunity for interested individuals and groups to actively participate in the planning and design process.

Lakeside Ministries is an interdenominational worship service supported by Liberty Hill Presbyterian Church. Each summer, all offerings are donated back to the area communities through local charities. $10,415 was collected this year and will be divided between charities that help provide food, shelter, clothing and housing to people; charities that help children in need, help with addiction and animal care. Some of the local charities are Christian Community Ministries of Camden, Food for the Soul Kershaw County, Family Resource Center, Community Medical Clinic of Kershaw County, Walter M. Crowe Animal Shelter, Transitional Housing Project of Camden and Wateree Community ...

Joseph "Joey" McClain achieved the rank and distinction of Eagle Scout at a Court of Honor ceremony on Nov. 10. A longtime member of Troop 316 sponsored by St. John's United Methodist Church, Joey's required service project included installing two permanent fire containment pits at Poinsett State Park in Wedgefield. Joey is pictured here alongside the fire safety rules he constructed and installed on site. The son of Lisa McClain of Lugoff, Joey is currently studying Music Education at Lander University in Greenwood.

On November 27th, the city of Camden acknowledged the defeat of the referendum vote regarding the recreation facility by passing a resolution accepting those results. The Camden Recreation Referendum Coalition (CRRC) extends congratulations and gratitude to every voter who made that happen and who confirmed our belief in the democratic process. We reflect with great satisfaction on staying the course, facing every challenge, and fighting boldly and assertively to let your voices be heard and to prove that the system works. You did it, and we thank you.

Nobody here in Kershaw County or anywhere else in the country would rationally assert that President Obama's victory last month transformed the United States into a one-party country. After all, Obama won by a skinny percentage (though by a wider margin in the antiquated Electoral College), and the U.S. House of Representatives is still controlled by the GOP, as are a majority of governorships. However, the protocols of presidential politics are creating a more difficult path for Republicans to win the White House unless the party steps back and takes a fresh look at itself.

A Nov. 16, 2012, op-ed by Lucian Truscott IV published in The New York Times declares that our post-World War II military leadership has traded true fighting spirit for "talk shows and photo spreads" and "military-spec business suits" and, therefore, has failed to succeed in battle since "the stalemated Korean War." Truscott's linkage between alleged military failures and a general officer population of "strutting military peacocks" is readily contradicted by the two men he invokes, George Patton and Lucian Truscott Jr., his own grandfather.

Good things come to those who wait. And in this story, the good things are truly wonderful and have emerged as being undeniably worth the wait. At times, this "wait" was home to several Mr. Wrongs and one or two Prince Charming wannabees. But over the years, the reservoir of patience reached a high and its depth paid off in an unexpected way. You see, my sister, two years my junior, is getting married this weekend. Her patience is the victor here, and life, the joy decided to happen, as she was busy making other plans.